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Child Services Under Scrutiny After Children Deaths

NBC 6's Willard Shepard reports on the death of a child allegedly at the hands of his mother. Child services is under the spotlight. Another mother recently also stands accused of negligence in the death of her child.

(Published Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018)

A southwest Miami-Dade mother is behind bars after police say she stabbed her 2-year-old boy to death after stabbing herself and another man.

Nathaly Ramos went before a judge Monday morning, where she was given no bond on a second-degree murder charge. The 22-year-old is also charged with attempted second-degree murder.

Police say the incident took place at a home off Southwest 124th Place and 148th Street just before 7 a.m. Sunday. A 911 caller said they saw Ramos and the young boy, named Alphonse, covered in blood.

Both were transported to Homestead Hospital, where the child died and Ramos was listed in critical condition before recovering and being taken into police custody.

Police also found a man who they say had been stabbed in his sleep inside the home. That victim was taken to Jackson South Community Hospital, where his condition is currently unknown.

"This is pretty sad, she stabbed the baby to death," Judge Mindy Glazer said during Monday's hearing before denying bond and ordering Ramos to have no contact with the male victim.

Officials did not identify what relationship Ramos had with the male victim.

Police said Ramos was treated for self-inflicted cuts on her throat. An attorney for Ramos wasn't listed on jail records.

The Florida Department of Children and Families said Alphonse was determined to be in an unsafe environment and placed him in the care of his uncle and grandmother.

"It is an absolute tragedy that a mother could possibly perpetrate this type of violence and murder her own child," DCF said in a statement. "Alphonse and his mother were involved in the early stages of an open child protective investigation and when the child was determined to be unsafe in the initial assessment, a plan was initiated, and Alphonse was placed with family so his uncle and grandmother could safely care for him during the investigative process."

DCF said that it is not a law enforcement agency and "and does not have legal authority to limit parents’ access to their children."